TBT and U$%^*#@!!!!!

No Spokesman today.  Twould have been nice to see the television schedule for today's resumption of March Madness games.

I have come to believe that, at least in our case, paper deliverers get the most slack and privacy of any job around. In fact, I'm thinking they may receive more protection from owning up to their responsibilities than even the President of the United States.

We have not known the name of a delivery person for some time.  I think it's important for customers to know who is delivering their papers and to be given a phone number where the deliverer could be reached whenever their paper box gets skipped.  

Seems if they had to drive back and put the paper in the box the second time around, they might just take more care next time.

Instead, we get to talk to a menu, and on some occasions a live body eventually comes on saying that they will credit our account and, if we want our paper for today, they will see that it is delivered tomorrow.   

Hmmm!  

A while back I saw a comment on from someone Twitter stating how taking bathroom breaks can cause them to miss five new things that happened.  

And, that thought did NOT come from the Tweeter-in-Chief. 

So, for us to read tomorrow what happened during several bathroom breaks yesterday is probably gonna be "old" news or by tomorrow, certainly deemed "fake."

And, besides, that television schedule for Thursday's NCAA March Madness games is definitely going to be "so yesterday" on Friday morning, if we should receive our Thursday morning paper AND a Friday paper. 

This has not been a good year in the paper delivery department, for us or for others around the region whom I know---many of them staff members of the very paper that once more did not show up at our house again this morning. 

So, today, as usual, I groused and moaned when I came to the house.  

"This time," I announced to Bill, "if we ever get to talk to a live person and not the menu, I'm gonna tell them that I'll be sending a bill for the gas money and the cost of going to town to buy our morning paper. 

We have gone the gamut in issuing our complaints and have generally done so in a much nicer tone than I use when I first come into the house to announce the "No Paper" news to Bill.  

Several times, after enduring the menu where "options have changed" about three years ago,  I've managed to connect with a live lady in circulation who assures us we'll get credit.  

Of course, when they tell us that and the bill keeps showing up in my mailbox with no changes, I do wonder----especially if I should die before I receive the said credit. 

Bill actually talked to the head man in circulation several weeks ago, and this boss acted totally astounded at the number of times we had not received our paper during that time slot. 

That time, I chastised Bill as he was ending the conversation and spouting off one of his one liners/digs.  "We call it the 'miracle paper,'" he said. "It's a miracle when it comes." 

I knew that Bill had thought about that one for a while and just couldn't wait to launch off with it.  

Anyway, someone from this house will break down and go to town once again to get the paper so we'll know the schedule for today's March Madness.  

Of course, we do already know the most important time for everyone in the ZAG Nation, and that's 4:39 PDT on TBS.

In "old and older" news, the photos today come from ten years ago (the wet pathway and gate) and five years ago in March. Seems Bill and I are like broken records in that we visit the preserves up in the Kootenai Valley about this same time every year.  

In both cases, most of the snow was gone, and on this March 23, we can report significant progress in saying good bye to a lot of snow and a whole lot more water. 

Turns out a huge rock was blocking our culvert in the lane.  We could not see that until yesterday when a majority of ice around the culvert had melted.  When the rock was moved, the water took off.

The lake which has covered the area is now down to a much smaller pond, and the round pen is completely clear of snow this morning. 

Outdoor work around the Lovestead has begun in earnest with dog-log pickup, removal of gravel from where it was plowed with snow to yard edges and some general raking for light cleanup.  In the spring, I am always so relieved to have taken extra time during the fall to clear the yard of leaves.

Anywho, we're making progress with the yard work, and the busy times with outside work begin.  

Of course, it's still not quite "spring" enough for us to quit watching the ZAGS play basketball, so we'll be patient if we don't have to mow lawn for the next two weeks. 

GO, ZAGS!!!  March on to reach the Elite Eight today and Final Four on Saturday!